Reading Recommendations

August 2017

Our work reveals that the formation and subsequent reactions of cresols regulate the atmospheric impacts of toluene oxidation, suggesting that its representation in current atmospheric models should be reassessed for accurate determination of ozone and SOA formation. The results from our study provide important constraints and guidance for future modeling studies.

Empirical density forecasting methods provide a probabilistic amendment to existing point forecasts. Here we lay the groundwork for evaluating the performance of these methods in the data-scarce setting of long-term forecasts. Results can give policy analysts and other users confidence in estimating forecast uncertainties with empirical methods.

By identifying and synthesizing dispersed data on production, use, and end-of-life management of polymer resins, synthetic fibers, and additives, we present the first global analysis of all mass-produced plastics ever manufactured. We estimate that 8300 million metric tons (Mt) as of virgin plastics have been produced to date.

California, renewed its commitment to reducing ghg last week by extending, to 2030, its cap-and-trade program, which effectively puts a price on emissions. It’s a bold, bipartisan commitment that invites similarly ambitious policies from other states.

Limited commitment for sufficient mitigation efforts and the uncertainty related to net-negative emissions have intensified calls for options that may help to reduce the worst climate effects. One suggested approach is the artificial reduction of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface by increasing the reflectivity of Earth’s surface or atmosphere.

The Paris Agreement aims to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5° to 2°C above preindustrial temperature, but achieving this goal requires much higher levels of mitigation than currently planned. This challenge has focused greater attention on climate geoengineering approaches, which intentionally alter Earth’s climate system, as part of an overall response starting with radical mitigation. Yet it remains unclear how to govern research on, and potential deployment of, geoengineering technologies.

The most prominent and best researched climate engineering approach is the injection of atmospheric aerosol particles or their precursor gases into the stratosphere, where these particles reflect solar radiation back to space. Climate engineering through cirrus cloud thinning, in contrast, mainly targets the long-wave radiation that is emitted from Earth.

Palaeoclimate variations are an essential component in constraining future projections of climate change as a function of increasing abundances of anthropogenic greenhouse gases1. The Earth system sensitivity (ESS) describes the multi-millennial response of Earth.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, examined if ongoing power transmission capacity investment in China could also reduce local adverse health impacts from air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions

The “Carbon Fee and Dividend” plan, in whatever form it may take, can make significant and necessary change in this country. As the climate worsens, the world is moving towards clean energy. However, pro-green Democrats and free-market Republicans’ failure to agree on climate solutions has prevented the United States from making that transition.

In their new report, “Energy and Air Pollution” the International Energy Agency says that “air pollution is an energy problem” as discusses the role that the energy sector can play in reducing air pollution around the globe.